


Cold Builds Character

by SkyKathryn



Category: Original Work
Genre: Danger, Deities, Eventual Sexual Content, F/M, Fallen Angel, Gay, Gay Romance, Hot Chocolate, Kissing, Living Together, M/M, Mentions of healing cancer, Murder, Mutual Pining, Nico is a pain in the ass, Opposites, Original work - Freeform, Problems, Romance, Tags will be added, WIP, Wing Kink, Wings, alternative religion, angel - Freeform, angel mentor, continual, i already love him too much, may take a lot of pning, prompt storie, prompts, rankings, reads like a story, smoothie, soulmate, stories, the creators wishes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-13 20:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5715319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyKathryn/pseuds/SkyKathryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leolie. Young, fit and fallen. The Creator set him up with a mentor, the older and more ruthless Nicolia, notorious reaper and deliverer of The Creators wishes. He must get through his training with his head intact to earn his way back to the heavens, but it's never that easy is it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> based on a bunch of prompts in a prompt war i'm having with a friend to make myself work with more original characters. Reads like a story the way my other prompt story (38 day bucky/nat otp challenge) reads, so easy to follow and is chaptered. hope you enjoy and let me know if you want more.  
> s x
> 
> Dialogue prompt 1  
> “Seven billion people in the world, and you’re overreacting because we killed one man”  
> “But-”  
> “Seven. Billion. People. Now quit the complaining and drink your smoothie.”

“Leo?” Nico ran his hands over the rim of his cup, the cool liquid making his insides even more frozen.

“Yes?” Nicos’ icy blue eyes locked onto the dark green ones in front of him, the hot chocolate steaming up his glasses as the cold air of the street made him huddle around the mug.

“Why are we drinking outside when there is a perfectly warm café three feet away?” Leo was shivering under his thick coat and he just wanted to go home but Nico seemed to insist on having a hot beverage every time they went on a mission.

“Because the cold builds character.” He answered, sipping his drink and watching a little old woman across the street. She was struggling with bags far too heavy, and if he wasn’t afraid of there being traces of the mission on his hands Leo would usually have run over to help her to her door. He was too good, as Nico reminded him frequently.  
“The cold builds frostbite.” The younger man murmured into his strawberry and banana smoothie, sipping slowly to accommodate Nico’s love of freezing for an hour before returning home. There was no way he could watch the guy serve him knowing what they had just done.

“Stop being a cry baby.” The man snapped, his eyes flashing black and his shoulders stiffening. Leo couldn’t work out why they were paired. They clearly weren’t compatible together.

“I’m not the one who wants his wings frozen.” Leo bit the glass his drink was in, testing the sound out in the chill of November. He hated the months that didn’t occur in summer. Nico hated the sun. Leo wanted fruit and pies, Nico went for sweets and cakes. Leo loved dogs. Nico wanted a cat. It just wasn’t going to work.   
Huffing Leo tightened his coat around himself and leaned back in the metal chair, catching the eye of a pretty blond girl as she walked past and smiling, enjoying the way the blush spread over her cheeks as she walked away.

“You’re a horrendous flirt Leolie.” Nico shook his head, rolling his eyes behind thick rims.

“Jealous Nicolai?” He winked, flashing his most angelic and dangerous smile in one.

“You wish baby.” He teased back, leaning in so his face was uncomfortably close to the others, his warm breath ghosting over Leo’s lips and making a moan escape quietly. 

“You are an ass.” Leo purred, licking his cherry lips seductively.

“You love my ass, ass.” He winked and pulled away, knowing they were being watched. A old man was sat in the bus stop opposite the café, shaking his head with a disgusted seer spread around his wrinkled cheek. Nico blew him a kiss and he got up on his Zimmer frame, calling out about dirty fairies and hobbled towards the town.

“I can’t say I don’t.” Leo sipped his glass slowly, catching the others eyes on his neck as he swallowed the liquid slowly.

Yeah the sexual tension was also a more than growing problem.

“Stop bouncing your leg.” Nico warned, whacking it with his own under the table.

“Stop taking so long.” He spat, slightly annoyed. He had finished his drink and he could feel his boy sealing up against the ice world around them.

“Have some patience.” Nico warned, flashing black eyes yet again.

“Pulling rank on me every five minutes is not going to make me any more compliant.” His own eyes went blue to match the commanding order of the two but also as a warning. His blood was younger but held more power. It was merely age that Nico outranked him in and Leo was more than aware of that. He hated being the young one. The creator was not a kind one. 

“It seems to be the only way to keep you under wraps.” Nico growled and Leo got up, striding away and fanning his fingers out in his pockets. He should have left a tip.  
“Just where do you think you’re going?” Nico’s head voice filtered into Leos brain and he shook his head in frustration.  
“Home.” He responded with less venom than he liked. He hated this damn realm with all of his being. HE hated its cold weather. He hated its sexism. He hated the way he was always wrong in the eyes of his partner. He wanted his world back. He wanted his friends and his bed and his things. But he was banished to this place until he filled the debt he had gained. Damn Creator thinking he ran everyone’s life. So what? 

“I’m behind you.” His voice fizzled and Leo refused to turn around, sensing the leader behind him but not giving in until he was up two flights of stairs and in their small, slightly damp apartment above the fish and chip shop.

Throwing his coat over the back of the sofa Leolie let his wings unfurl, the thick plumes of white feathers so soft they didn’t even ruffle falling out and settling comfortingly behind his back.

“This won’t work unless you give into the orders Leolie. You know that.” Nico stepped up to the younger as his own wings, golden and bronze and slightly shorter than the others, fell from his spine, rustling in the way only less pure angels did. He rested his hand on Leo’s shoulder and handed him a to-go cup. 

“But it was just.” Leo closed his eyes and Nico sighed. They had been through this. Three times.

“Seven billion people in the world, and you’re overreacting because we killed one man”

“But-”

“Seven. Billion. People. Now quit the complaining and drink your smoothie.” Nico stepped back and Leo licked his lips, realising that Nico had gotten him a grape strawberry smoothie. His second favourite after banana. But he had one of those at the café.

“It was the baristas father.” He sniffled.

“Who beat him mercilessly, did you not see the marks on his neck and cheek? He wasn’t very good with make-up.” Nico ruffled the others hair, heaving a heavy sigh. He did not sign up to babysit a blubbering mess of an angel. “Come here.”

Leo wrapped his strong arms around his superior and buried his face into the well-muscled shoulder on his left. Nico patted his back before locking his hands under the soft wings, covering them with his wings to make the younger feel safe. It was technique he had learned with his first ward and seemed to work with most of them. 

“How can you do it?” Leo’s voice was so small a human would have missed it but Nico merely shrugged.

“Years of practice? The Creator made me for this job Leolie. I never did the whole being up there thing.” Nico ran a hand down the others wings, savouring the softness and causing him to shiver. 

“I do not envy you your task.” Leo hummed in appreciation of his wings being caressed, it was one of his biggest calming techniques, but it also had the down side of turning him on.

“Most don’t.” He admitted, pulling back and dragging a tissue from his pocket, wiping the others eyes free of tears. The glassiness made the green pop in ways Nicolai hadn’t seen in years and he held the breath he didn’t even need to take. He was stunning. But Nico just pulled away, missing his warmth but heading to the kitchen, turning on the heating and flicking on the oven to make puff pastry pizza, something he had logged into his brain as Leo’s favourite dinner but wouldn’t ever admit to knowing.

“Thank you.” Leolie’s voice floated through the apartment as he went to change and Nico smiled for the first time in years, even if it was only to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a rustling happening in the kitchen. Leolie sat up, ruffling his wings out comfortably and tugging his trousers up, just loose lounge pants but it was better than nothing. He opened his door silently as he could, his feet padding on the thick carpet, the silver moon guiding him through the flat making each surface look sharp and dangerous. 

Running his hand over the back of the worn couch as he passed he grabbed a pillow, righting it before stepping out into the dining room. Nico was stood in the kitchen, blue eyes silver in the moonlight, hands clasped around a chipped coffee mug in nothing but drawstring black trousers. His scars seemed to glow in the low light, three long gashes from his left shoulder to his tight hip, what looked like a quad of bullet holes from his right pectoral muscle to just under his collarbone. A bite mark, teeth clearly countable started on his left hip and dipped below his waistband. Leo swallowed thickly and stepped back to go to his room, but he took a mind photo of the elder as he turned. 

Nico couldn't sleep. So he got up, pacing quietly around the apartment he eventually settled in the kitchen with a cup of mint hot chocolate, and only his thoughts for company. He should have refused the boy. He should have told the Creator he couldn't deal with him. He was too much and far too young. He knew why he had been assigned to him though. He was the most effective of the corrected facilities and he was linked to him in blood. But he was also just too much. Sighing Nico drank some of his drink, it was his favourite mug, one of the only things he had left of her in his life, the rest had simply perished or been lost over the centuries, but she had made this for him just before they parted forever. She made it from clay and he had it fired once the technology was advanced enough. 

He should go to bed. They had work to do today, it was only 3am. But he knew sleep would not grace him. It was much to awake, his brain,in a way it had not been in a long long time. 

As he noticed the figure in the doorway it slipped away and the door was quickly closed a few metres away. Pushing away from the side Nico wandered into the front room, noticing the moved pillow and smiling. It was her habit too. He flopped down ungracefully onto his front, wings being his blanket, and curled into the pillow, breathing deeply as he slowly drifted in and out of consciousness. 

 

“Hey, Nico wake up.” He was being shaken gently and he grunted, reaching out and gripping the arm doing the offensive manoeuvre. “Come on grumpy pants.”

“What time is it?” His voice was thick with sleep and Leo felt his heart jump suddenly in a way he had only just started noticing. 

“9am.” He felt the way goosebumps rose over his body at the contact and pulled back, being freed easily and moved so the other could get up. 

“Breakfast?” Nico shook life into his limbs and strode towards the kitchen, the trousers hanging lower than last night and his wings parted to reveal a symbol burned into the base of his back. Leo blinked the image from his mind and tumbled after the other man. 

“Sounds good to me captain.” He saluted and earned himself a glare. 

“Do not call me that.” Nicolai warned, eyes dark with warning and Leo shrank back in on himself, raising his hands in surrender. 

“I'm sorry Nicolai.” His voice was low and small in a way that instantly made regret bloom on the others face. 

“You didn't know.” He grabbed pancake ingredients from various places and started mixing the batter silently, motioning for the young angel to set the table with one hand before carrying over a pile of the breakfast and taking his seat on the left side of the table.

“Thank you Sir.” Leo slipped back into his initial training, which Nico had broken him out of a day into coming to him, and took the pancake after Nico did. 

“Don't Leo.” Nico stretched over to brush his thumb under Leo’s chin to make him look up. “I'm not angry and I told you I’m not your officer, I’m your helper. Formality like that makes this difficult.”

“But I upset you.” He bit his lip and Nico resisted the urge to pull it out of the teeth. 

“You weren't told what would trigger my anger Leolie, you have only been here a week you cant know everything.” He smiled gently and the younger man blushed happily, drowning his breakfast in syrup and chocolate sauce. 

“Thanks Nico.” He murmured, digging into his pile.

“If you were human you'd have diabetes.” Nico rolled his eyes and received a shrug. 

“Good thing I’m not because this is good.” His plate was almost gone and Nico was only just half way through. New angels, he shook his head affectionately. 

“What we doing today?” He wiped his hands on a napkin and sat back, bringing his orange juice to his lips as he did. Nico hummed into his drink and pulled the calendar up in his phone. 

“Washing, shopping, and a case of healing at 2.” He read out. “Washing this morning and then well head towards the hospital. Get shopping on the way home.”

“Healing?” Leo raised an eyebrow.

“Im not just a murderer. I'm here for the creators bidding. Wether that be giving, killing or healing a life. If he wanted me to marry a human and give them a good life before mysteriously dying I would.” He described, fiddling with his fork. “Im his minion, as are you, and you need to learn these skills if you hope to go home.” 

“Seems like a lot of work for one guy.” He picked at his nails, watching with forest coloured eyes that Nico couldn't look away from. 

“It is. I used to have a partner but now I take on criminals apparently.” He shrugged, pushing the remainder of his pancakes to the other and getting up. “I'm going to shower. Be ready in half an hour.” 

 

The shower was hot, hotter than really needed and it was turning Nicos pale skin red in a mostly comfortable way. He needed to get away before he gave in and told the younger what was going on. He never got close to any other wards, why this one? He cursed to the Creator who he could almost feel laughing knowingly at him. By the time he stepped out the mirror and window were fogged up so he dried quickly, pulling on his trousers and padding to his room. After drying his hair to sit resting straight but slightly puffy over the left side of his face he dragged on dark jeans and a purple polo shirt, tucking his wings and cloaking them before opening the door and grabbing his blue converse, tying them in the front room.

“Can I borrow a hoodie?” Leo was leaning on the doorframe, looking down at his nails and biting the skin from his lip. 

“Course.” Nico stood up, going to the cupboard and pulling out a couple. “Which one?” 

“Blue one please.” He reached for the pale material and wrapped it around himself, trying to get his wings comfortable and inhaling subconsciously at the same time. 

“You ready Leo?” Nico called as he opened the door, doing his own woollen trench coat up with one hand. 

“Lets go.” He tugged on a loose jacket over the hoodie. 

 

“Cloak yourself.” Nicolai ordered as they came close to the hospital. Leo nodded and let magic fall over him, mingling with every atom in his body and turning him invisible, only being seen by fellow angels. They walked towards the entrance avoiding people and slipped in the automatic doors, up three flights of stairs and past far too many crying women. Leos heart twisted at the sound and he stepped closer to the elder as he stopped outside a room. 

“Wait for the door to be opened.” Nico thought to him, leaning back against the wall to wait. “Are you ok?” Nico took in the pain on his face and reached out to brush the bronze hair out of his eyes. 

“Not really.” Leo shrugged, sagging against the wall next to him. All he wanted to do was curl into the elders side and forget the stench of antiseptic and death that surrounded them. 

“It won’t be long.” Nico assured him, running a hand up his arm comfortingly. He hated it too but the payback was more than worth the discomfort. Just as he turned he noticed a nurse carrying a clip board and a solemn expression striding towards the room, opening the door and slipping in, coming out a few seconds later with two parents. Both red eyed and shaking. As the door swung he grabbed it and pulled Leo into the room with him. 

There was a small girl on the bed, eyes closed and breathing laboured, tubes attached in as much skin that was showing. Leo felt tears spring to his eyes and held his hand over his mouth to stop a loud sob escaping. 

“Hey princess.” Nico uncloaked himself and walked up to the bed, the little girls eyes opening slowly and her dry lips pulling into a smile that looked more like a grimace. Her small hand reached out and Nico took it in his own. “I know princess. I'm here now.” He let his wings drop and she sighed happily. “No I'm not here to take you away. I'm here to help you heal.” He was reading her mind and Leo simply stood there, unable to force himself closer. Nico ran his hand over her smooth head, pressing his lips to her forehead and bleeding magic into her skin, a glow started coming out of her body, just low enough for it not to draw attention of the people outside. “There you princess. You'll heal now you can sleep.” She smiled at him, sighing as the magic soothed all the pain in her body in the way painkillers can't and let go of his hand as she fell asleep. Leo watch his mentor cloak himself again, tears in his eyes, when the door opened and they slipped out into the hallway making a quick escape. 

 

“Are you ok?” Leo reached out to steady Nico as they made it to the flat. He looked exhausted and shook his head, fighting the lock and almost falling inside. “Whats wrong?” He wrapped his arm around the others waist and carried him to the sofa, sitting him down and crouching in front of him. 

“Someone has to take the tasks illness. Give me a day I'll be back to normal. Cancer can't kill me. It was just further developed than I thought when I took it.” He croaked out, eyes shut as he leaned over himself. 

“What?” Leo shrieked, grabbing onto him and helping him sit back. “That's not right!” 

“Pain has to be transferred not absolved. It's fine I've done it millions of times.” He was gripping the sofa so hard his knuckles were white. Panic flooded through Leos body and he picked the elder up bridal style. 

“Nope. Not fair at all. Damn you're freezing.” He added feeling the cold skin against his neck when the others head pressed into his own. 

“That's normal.” The reply was weak and he didn't even protest to being carried to his bedroom. Leo kicked open the door and flicked on the light, placing Nico onto his mattress and shutting the curtains. He grabbed his own duvet off his bed and ran back to wrap it around the elder. “Let me share the pain.” 

“Nope. Go do shopping. List and money in kitchen.” He spoke to his mind as he closed his eyes, drawing both duvets closer to his face. 

“I'm not leaving you!” Leolie was panicking and Nico reached for him, too close to sleep to mind link without touch. 

“I'm fine Leo. Go do the shopping.” He let go, drawing his hand back and yawning, falling into a painful sleep. 

“No.” He whimpered, sitting down on the floor and watching the way the man in bed twitched uncomfortably every few seconds, his breathing laboured and crackly. 

 

“Leo?” Nico called gently, reaching over to the angel asleep against the side of the bed. “Leolie why are you on the floor?” His voice was sleep heavy and confused. It had only been a few hours and a searing pain in his chest had woken him up. 

“I wasn't leaving you.” He looked up from his sketch book and reached over to make him strain less. “You kept making noises.” 

“Go get some sleep Leo. I'll be ok.” Nico smiled wearily and something twisted in Leos chest. 

“I gave you my duvet.” He shrugged using it as a excuse not to leave. 

“Get in then.” Nico lifted the duvets and fell back into the bed, turning to him as he kicked off his shoes. Leo had taken Nico’s own shoes off as he was falling asleep. “Thank you.” 

“No problem Ni.” Leo got in and turned to face him, smiling before deciding it was weird to sleep facing the guy who was meant to be teaching him, so he turned around and let sleep take him. 

 

“No.” Leo stirred but couldn't turn and started panicking again. “No no no no.” There was something shaking behind him and Leo finally realised why he couldn't turn over. Nico was pressed against his back, spine against his own and hands clutching at the duvet. He kept mumbling to himself, words of defiance and terror, ranging in pitch and volume, until Leo caught his breath. “Leolie.” Whimpered from the elders lips and Leo reached over, pressing his hand to the others shoulder. 

“Hey. Hey Nico I'm here.” He soothed, swinging himself around and pressing his hand against Nico’s cheek. “You're ok.” 

“No!” Nico shot up, sitting over the other man and scooting back, shaking his head so hard his shoulders went with it. He looked like hell, dark circles and brow creased in stress. “Nonononononono.” The words all strung into one and Leo sat up, raising his hands in surrender. 

“You're ok with me. Want me to go?” He asked gently and Nico’s bottom lip started quivering. 

“No. Yes. Fever dreams.” He covered his face with shaking hands and felt the bed dip in front of him before warm hands rested on his cold shoulders. 

“Come down Nico. You're still healing.” He pulled gently and Nico collapsed on top of him, head resting on his shoulder and arms around his waist. He was asleep before they even laid back down.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sky make it angsty....make it last......nope? Nope? Ok then.

“Shiiiit.” Nico rubbed his eyes, lying back flat, wincing as he strained against his left wing, pushing him back onto his side again. 

“You ok?” Nico suddenly jumped. Leo’s voice was low and thick and just a little too close to a growl at this time of morning for it not to cause him a sudden pang in his stomach. 

“I've been worse.” He tried to shrug but his whole body felt like it was made of lead. “My mouth feels like sandpaper.” 

“Milk? Google says milk helps with body stuff?” Leo was turned to face his mentor so he saw the cute smirk that crossed dry lips. 

“Thanks but I think water will do.” He pushed himself up only to feel the other push him back down by his shoulder. 

“I got it.” He smiled and got up. 

The second he was alone that dream came back. The same dream as when he lost her. But this time it was Leo being pulled apart, bone after bone breaking and splitting through his creamy pale skin, blood pumping down into the crypt he was hung over via the most sensitive parts of his wings, hooks jammed through the white and pure feathers until they dried various shade of brown and black. A shudder burned through his skin and he shut his eyes tightly, trying his hardest to even out his breathing enough to appear normal when the younger angel returned. 

“Here you go…what's wrong Nicolai?” He placed the cup down on the nightstand and sat on the bed next to him. 

“Just the nightmares is all.” He tried to smile but it felt more painful than helpful. 

“Can I do anything?” His hand was raised as if to stroke his wings down but stopped and hovered just over them, shaking slightly. 

“It's ok. I'm used to it.” He sat up, propping himself against the padded headboard and took the glass from the side and taking a long swig to stop himself asking Leo to groom his wings. He knew how desperately they needed it. But he also knew it would be completely inappropriate for him to do so. 

“If there is let me know ok?” Leo looked completely deflated and wrapped his own brilliant wings around himself. Once again Nico thought about how much higher ranking Leolie would be than him if it wasn’t for the age gap. Leo was going on to much greater things. 

“I will. Go out if you want. I won't be much use to you today.” He smiled gently and waved the other angel off. “Go explore. Just keep your wings hidden.” 

“I'll go get shopping.” Leo nodded to the elder who lifted the remote next to him and clicked his tv on. 

“If theres anything you want to try go for it.” Nico called as he exited the room. 

 

Whilst mooching around the supermarket, pushing a trolley because he couldn't be bothered to carry a basket, Leo mulled over the night before. Nico had woken up and shouted his name. There was no mistaking it. Leo just couldn't figure out why. It was gnawing at his insides and making him grumpy and short tempered. Some kid got in his was and he actually growled at it until it ran back to it's parent. 

He didn't know why he cared. He wouldn't have with any of his friends, he knew they would be ok and he knew Nico would survive, so why had it taken all of his will not to go agaisnt him and take the pain himself? Why had he wanted to? It wasn't his task to save that girl. It wasn't his task to take care of the other angel. So why did he feel like he knew the man? Like he knew him well enough to care what happened? It wasn't normal. Sure some angels took partners, some even found their Soulmates, but that was so rare it was almost a ghost story. He wasn't meant to be attracted to the older male. The man who was exiled and was only allowed to keep his powers because the Creator was using him on earth. He was being punished. Why should Leo care about that? Why should Leo think he knows him? He was much lower in bloodline, he didn't have even a hint of white in his hawk wings, he had never been touched by the Creator himself as Leolie had, he didn’t belong to high society or to the elite three families, he wasn't all powerful or that full of talent as far as he knew, so why did he matter? Why did it feel normal to want to groom the feathers the elder couldn't reach? 

Grabbing the last things on the list he threw them in without much care, and stopper dead. Something inside was telling him to pick up the nutty chocolate chip cookies at the end of the isle. The big SALE sign wasn't what drew his attention though. It was the thought that Nico would like them. Which was ridiculous. Leo had never seen cookies in the house. Why would he know Nico would enjoy them? But that small lingering voice in the back of his head was urging him to get them and before he knew it three packets sat in the trolley. 

“Is that all today Sir?” A young girl with too much makeup and too little body spray on smiled at him as she rang up his total, her brown eyes showing interest in an otherwise deadbeat and boring situation. He always forgot how attractive angels looked to humans. His eyes shone differently, his auburn hair catching the light like a shampoo commercial at all times. He shot her a deadly smirk as he handed over the money and pulled down his sunglasses as he grabbed the bags. 

“Yeah that's good. Thank you Tammy.” He waved her off as he walked away, her name had been displayed as Tabitha on her badge. He liked freaking humans out with mind reading. 

 

“Would you call me an asshole?” Leo queried as they sat on the sofa that evening, watching reruns of Game Of Thrones, eating pasta that was slightly overdone, but Nico wasn't complaining. 

“No. I’d say you have the ability to be a cocky little shit if you want to. But no i would not call you an Asshole. Why?” Nico cast his eyed between the angel and the show, his wings beating gently behind him. 

“Would you call me a flirt?” He was simply stabbing his dinner rather than eating it. 

“No more than the next man.” Nico was eyeing him suspiciously now. 

“Would you say I'm a bad person?” He had no idea where the sudden self consciousness had come from. 

“Not at all.” Nico took the plate from him and put both of them on the table. “What's all this?” 

“Do you know why I'm here?” He met ice blue eyes filled with concern and sucked in his bottom lip. 

“Of course.” He raised an eyebrow and Leo stuttered a breath. “Lust isn't exactly uncommon Leolie.” 

“But.” He huffed and looked away. “We're not meant to.”

“And? Did that stop you?” He raised an eyebrow and leaned back into the sofa. “Golden boys usually have a spell on earth for it.” 

“Huh?” He watched the other relax. 

“Gabriel?” Leo nodded imagining the high ranking angel in his head. “Spent 100 years on earth all together. Three spells I believe. If he wasn't the Creators favourite pet he'd still be down here.” He sounded quite resentful by the end. “He was an asshole. Not you.” 

“He's my uncle.” Leolie scratched his neck. “But I agree with you.”

“He caused a lot of trouble a few thousand years ago.” Nico wrung his hands together. “If anyone else had done it they would have been stuck here.”

“He's good at what he does.” Leo could feel the atmosphere crackle. “What did he do to you?” 

“He cost me everything.” Nico got up and took his plate, washing it loudly and going to the bathroom, turning on the shower and getting in without another word. 

“What did I do?” Leo muttered to himself, finishing off his dinner and washing it up, coming back into the front room he realised how late it was. Feeling irritated and shaken up he threw himself onto the sofa, stretching out and huffing periodically. 

 

“Sorry.” Nico’s voice came through the link and he appeared in the doorway, eyes downcast and hair still dripping. “It’s a touchy subject.” He looked up, the blue openly honest and Leo locked his forest green eyes glanced down his naked torso. His scars seemed to gleam under the drips coming from his shoulder length hair. 

“It's ok I shouldn’t push.” Leo got up and went to him. Nico seemed to be teetering on a sharp edge so Leo reached out a hand, which the other gently took, and led him to the sofa, sitting him in front of it and sat on the sofa himself. The other seemed to be tense but every time they touched seemed to get a bit more relaxed. “Is this ok?” 

“Yeah. You're good.” Nico leaned into him and let the other brush his hands over the bent and scabby feathers that he couldn't reach, grooming them flat and back into place with gentle fingers. After a while all the tension left his shoulders and he easily slipped into a doze, the hands making him quiet and slip into his own little world. “She used to do this.” Even his head voice was three pitches lower than normal. 

“She?” Leo was gently fighting a stray that just would not let itself get fixed. 

“Lorrelie.” His voice was gentle in a way that took Leo by surprise. It held a lot more love than he had ever come across before and he found himself feeling something akin to jealous. 

“Who was she?” He stroked the now much neater wings and Nico seemed to sigh heavily. 

“My Mate.” His voice was so quiet if it wasn't for enhanced hearing he would have missed it. 

“Wait. You actually found your Mate? Your Soulmate?” He tugged on his shoulder making him look whilst he spoke. 

“Yeah.” He had a stupid love sick smile breaking his face and another twist happened in Leo’s chest. 

“What happened?” The room suddenly became very dark and Nico’s eyes blacked out completely, a scowl would be too kind a description of his expression. 

“Gabriel.” He physically growled, twisting away and standing up. He tightened his hands in his hair, the long dark strands wrapping around his slender fingers. His chest was heaving and electricity was sparking around the room, trying to control himself but his eyes were flitting from blue to black erratically and all Leo wanted to do was touch him. 

“Hey. Calm. I'm here.” He got up but Nico’s eyes locked onto his, flashing gold for a second before he crumpled to the ground, sobbing quietly. Leo stood still. The world seemed to tip on his axis and suddenly it made sense. It made sense why he wanted to be near him. It made sense why he was drawn to him. It made sense why he wanted to stop him hurting. It made sense why he fell. 

It all made sense. 

“I got you.” He hadn’t realised his legs had moved him or that he had knelt down but suddenly he had his arms tightly wrapped around the elder angel. 

“No.” It was a pitiful excuse for a request and Leo chose to ignore it, sitting down and pulling the other into his lap, encouraging him to curl into him. “You shouldn't just.” 

“Shhhhh I know. I know what you mean but I am ok I promise.” He rocked them gently, humming to himself until he felt Nico pull away. “Better?” 

“I don't know.” He admitted, wiping his eyes. “You?” 

“A bit.” He shrugged, eyes watching the way Nico got himself under control. “How long have you known?” 

“The second I saw your picture.” He smiled sheepishly. “I knew it wasn't fair having you come to me but then I thought of someone else touching you and I couldn’t handle it.” He shuddered and the arm around Leo’s waist tightened. 

“That's why you wouldn't let me help?” Leo spoke softly, his brain only just catching up to the situation. “So I didn’t find out?” 

“That was the idea.” Nico swallowed thickly.

“I'm sorry.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one night? Wow im impressed sky.

The flat was so quiet. So quiet Leo was worried. Nico had left a while ago, to sort his head out and to just get away and Leo was glued to the sofa to stop himself pacing. His mind was layered in different ideas. 

He had found his Soulmate. But his Mate had seen him die already. Did that cancel out the bond? Is that why he had been able to hide it! Did he not want him? He knew him as a her, maybe he wasn’t attracted to him as a male? Maybe he didn't want to be stressed over it? Maybe he hated him because of his uncle? Maybe he should shut his brain up. That sounded like a good plan. 

“Leo?” Nico stumbled through the door, heaving it shut with much too much force, and banged against both sides of the hallway as he approached. “Leolie?”

“Nicolai?” He got up just as the elder fell onto the sofa with a grunt. 

“Where did you go?” His words were slurred and he shook slightly under the younger angels gaze. “I need to talk to you.”

“Are you drunk?” Leo was fuming under his skin. How dare he?

“How else did you envision I get through this conversation? Now sit down looking up is dizzying.” He demanded, pointing at the sofa with a mostly steady hand. 

“Like a grown up?” He muttered under his breath, taking the seat. 

“Im 2,500 years old boy. I've been an adult enough.” He growled then rubbed his eyes. “I do not own you. I know you can refuse me and if you want to and you want to find the one you fell for I wont stop you. The new laws state that being the elder I get to own you as a possession but I have no desire to do that. Well. That’s a lie. I do but I want it to be mutual not just a casual ownership. And no one will ever complete you like me, but I am also muttering.” He fizzled out, pouting and then checking his nails. “I lost my Soulmate. I lost the only thing that was good in my life. I will take some adjusting. I will work hard but you have to be aware I will also be a pain. I spent the last 1,590 years of my life without you. If you don't want. If you don’t want me, then I can understand.” His eyes were swimming with tears but they weren't falling yet. “I get if you don’t want me.”

“Tell me what happened.” Leo prodded, guessing him being drunk was his only option. 

“Gabriel.” He made a pissy, wound up face and put on a high pitched voice. “Angel Gabriel who can do no wrong or so be told for a slap on the wrist and a warning, took her from me.” His voice dropped low again, eyes turning stormy. “He took her and gave her to some frigging devil worshippers and he sacrificed her to the Devil himself. He hung her and broke her until even an immortal couldn't survive and he took payment for it. He took her from me because he knew what she was. He was jealous because he wanted her. Fuck she was beautiful. He made me watch you know. He made me watch in burning chains whilst humans scarred my flesh and kept me locked whilst I watched and felt every part of her dying. He made me.” Nico was shaking, hands clenched so hard his nails were drawing blood from his palms and tears flowed freely. “He made me fall because of revenge. He made me live with the murderers of the only good left and he made me do it without her whilst he smirked on from the heavens. He made me watch other people happy. He made me watch other angels happy. He knew he had taken that from me. He fucking did it out of jealous spite.” He was hissing under his breath and suddenly Leo realised how young he was. He still didn’t have a clue what to do. “You're safer if I hand you to another teacher.” 

“No.” Leolie pressed his hands over Nico’s and made him open them, running a tissue over the blood to collet it then healed the holes with magic. “You're not sending me away.” 

“You should go.” He hiccuped, face turned to the floor. “I'll make it so in the morning.” 

“No Nicolai. I am going nowhere. This is my turn. You get your Mate back. I get mine. If the Creator put us together he must have done it for a reason.” He realised he was talking to a drunk angel and decided to take another approach. “Where the Hell did you find alcohol powerful enough to get you here?”

“There is an angel bar. You don’t see it unless you're an angel. It serves the good stuff. I can’t be good for you. I can’t be good for anyone. I’m such a bad angel.” He sniffed, running his cuff under his nose. “Even the Creator let his golden boy hurt me and have his place. The Creator doesn’t count me as his. I'm fucking below humans.” Leo quickly realised the topic was changing, glad he had spent many drunken nights with his friends back in the Heavens to be able to follow. “Gabriel committed murder, treason and broke the Soulmate rule all in one week and he still sits on that Goddamned throne that he was given, my wings on his damn back and my sorry excuse for a Soul down here slowly rotting.” 

“Wait what?” The wing comment caught him off guard. “He stole your wings?” 

“He tore them from me whilst I watched him kill My Soulmate. He tore them and took them for himself because he wanted the power I had. And the Creator gave him it.” There was so much venom in his voice Leo almost withdrew but resisted the urge. His uncle had done that? He shook his head. “You think I was born with these ugly things? No. I lost mine and these took their place. Who wants a dewinged angel around? I guess the Creator decided that I deserved his pity.” He scoffed, finally locking his eyes onto Leo’s own. They were golden now he had acknowledged his mate. The colour seemed to seep from them and calm him down, then Leo realised it was him doing that. It was him who was calming his mate down without even doing anything. 

“You suit gold.” Nico’s voice was calmer, his hand resting against Leo’s right cheek. “Im sorry. I'm pathetic.” He took one deep shuddering breath. 

“So do you.” Leolie smiled and the other seemed to try even if it was painful to see. “You're not pathetic. You've got a lot of shit. But we can deal.” 

“It should be easy. It should be more than just dealing. You deserve more. Look at you Leo! You're beautiful. You look like her. You have so much potential. I cant chain you to me.” He sighed and gave in, wrapping both arms around the younger man. “I can't make you give up your life for me.” 

“You're not asking.” Leo moved himself into his mates lap and curled around him. “And neither am I. I'm telling you I am staying Nicolai.”

“What about the person you fell for? You can't go back without seeing them.” He pressed his face into Leo’s neck and inhaled his scent deeply, humming in appreciation at the way it made the alcohol in his head start to clear. 

“That’s not an issue.” He smiled and Nico raised an eyebrow at him. “I am already.” He pressed his hand to the elders cheek. Nico smiled honestly and pressed his face into the palm, nuzzling it lovingly. 

“That's nice to know.” He sighed and nibbled his lip. “I do however need a drink. The alcohol has left now.” 

“That's good. I couldn't be bothered to drag you to bed.” He winked and got up, leading the other to the kitchen with linked fingers, which he didn't let go of until he handed over the cup and sat up on the side. 

“You could have left me.” He shrugged then downed the pint glass. “Thank you Leo.” 

“I couldn’t. I spent too long grooming your wings for that.” He winked and the elder seemed to blush gently. 

“Thank you for that. It felt good.” He admitted, resting his hands on the others knees. “I'd like to do it back some time.” 

“I've never had it done properly. I don't like them touched.” Leo shrugged and Nico reached out, brushing his fingers over the soft white feathers. Leo sucked in a breath and held back a moan. “Why?” 

“It’s the bond. It knows the only person who should touch your wings is me. It knows the only person who should be trusted with your wings after what happened to your.” He choked slightly. “After that happened to your last set, should be your mate. So they protested whenever someone else did.” 

“What else does the bond mean?” Leo was infatuated with the idea and the moon had risen a few hours ago, painting the angular man in shadows and white light beautifully. 

“we always know where the other is, we can feel each others happiness and each others pain. We can sense if the other is in danger. We are also much more powerful together. Like a force to be reckoned with power. It’s an amazing feeling. But that only kicks in once we actually accept each other.” He seemed to go all bashful and once he caught onto his polite meaning Leo blushed like a tomato. 

“Oh.” He hummed then turned, grabbing the cookies and handing them over. “I thought you would like these.” 

“Smooth subject change.” Nico winked and beamed up at him. “These are my favourite.” He opened them then leaned in to kiss Leo's cheek, offering him the packet first. 

“Thank you.” He smiled, hand raising to rest over the kiss as if to press the lips to his skin for everyone to see. The other hand took a cookie and he bit into it before making a face. 

“Oh Gods you don’t like it? What even are you?” He mocked outrage, opening his mouth to have the half eaten cookie placed in it. Then realised he may have gone too far, casting his eyes down and opening his palm. 

“Open up.” Leo tapped his chin and he did so willingly. He placed the cookie on his tongue and watched the happiness that touched his golden eyes as they smiled at each other. “We can get this to work.”

“I think we can.” Nicolai held up his little finger, a silly smile on his lips. “I promise to do as right as I can for you Leolie. I will not push or be controlling and I will not own you. You are your own man. I just happen to be your mate. I will be here when you need me.” 

“I promise to be your little shit because I want you to realise you cant have me easy but I will behave when I need to. Your not kicking me out for a long time ok?” He wrapped his own pinky around the offered and kissed it, which the elder did too. 

“Pinky promise.” 

“Pinky promise.”


End file.
